


A Game of You

by iwtv



Category: Black Sails
Genre: James is a bottom virgin, M/M, Outdoor Sex, Thomas is being too progressive again ;), Topping from the bottom!Thomas, cuddling under the moonlight, physical attatchment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 16:51:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8721403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwtv/pseuds/iwtv
Summary: James was always quite comfortable with being the dominant top, but during a private rendezvous with Thomas he concedes to trust Thomas more than ever. Discussions about the moon and progress, in which Thomas is ahead of his time as usual and James is just head over heels with everything he says. <3





	

“There you are,” said James, trudging down the slope that comprised the backside property of the Hamilton’s summer estate. It was after dark but James could clearly see the small fire burning at the end of the slope and the tall figure settled onto a blanket in front of it.

Thomas turned to him.

“You’ve arrived without your hat or coat. I’m impressed,” he jested.

Wearing only his white naval shirt and vest and black trousers, James stood beside him and took in the view before sitting down on the blanket.

“I decided I did not want to risk dirtying anything,” said James.

“You mean Miranda insisted,” Thomas added smoothly.

James fixed him with a playful frown. “Yes.”

He looked at the fire. It was a small affair but well built. The flames were steady.

“I can hardly believe my lord knows how to build a fire,” he mused, hiding his grin.

“A skill learnt over a summer spent with my uncle in my youth,” Thomas replied. “He lived out here, in the country. He said I was a natural. For some reason I remembered the skill into adulthood, though I hardly have occasion.”

“Mm. I’d like to think I’m occasion enough.”

Thomas turned to him and leaned in for a kiss. James hesitated and glanced behind them in the direction of the house. They didn’t usually spend time alone outdoors, and he was unfamiliar with much of the Hamilton’s summer estate.

“Don’t worry,” said Thomas, gently turning James’s face back towards him with an index finger and thumb. “We’re completely alone. I’m the only one who comes out here.”

“Really, doing something others find odd? Shocking,” replied James, with another teasing grin.

Thomas dove in and kissed him as though it were a retort. James couldn’t help but to smile through it and he felt Thomas’s lips pulls back as he chortled lightly.

*How they must all see you as the black sheep,* James wanted to add, but instead he melted into the contact, raising his hand to cup Thomas’s cheek and turning the kiss into something deeper. Thomas was always like a fountain. They spent so much time around one another and yet hardly any time privately by comparison, so that when they were alone and James could at last touch him and taste him it was like being quenched from a terrible thirst nothing else could satiate.

They kissed on and off over the next few minutes, chatting lightly about this and that. James noticed that his lover’s gaze kept wondering skyward and to the moon. It was nearly full and bright white, having lost its earlier yellowish hue by the time James had arrived. Now he could make out all its darker imperfections as it shone down on them. Between it and the fire there was a pale glow of light around them, a light that James found rather comforting. He reclined back until only an arm was propping up him next to Thomas. The lengths of their arms and thighs touched pleasantly.

“Wondering if there’s a man up there?” James mused.

He watched the side of Thomas’s mouth turn upward at the jest, but then Thomas said, quite matter-of-factly, “I was actually. It’s not such a crazy notion, after all. It’s really much larger than it appears, and it’s probably solid like the Earth. If those two things hold true then I think it’s perfectly plausible a human being could walk across it, don’t you?”

By now James was used to these discussion starters and was no longer floored when Thomas said things that, in a public setting, would have earned him bewildered looks and outright laughs.

James had always adored it about him. More often than not, he found himself agreeing with some of them. Thomas shifted so that he could reach over and lazily run a finger down James’s sleeve. James pressed his leg up against Thomas’s in response, feeling the inklings of the other’s body heat through all the fabric.

He considered the idea of a man on the moon until he felt Thomas’s gaze fall on him more pointedly. He let it rest there for another moment, enjoying the attention, until he heard, “Jaaames?”

The grin spread fully across James’s face.

“I think it’s *possible*,” he said at last. “Although it would be quite *im*possible to get a person up there in the first place.”

Thomas lay down fully beside him, arms tucked behind his head. James turned on his side, deciding that should be an invitation for him to pay attention to something other than the moon. He raked his eyes over Thomas’s stretched form. If he appeared tall standing up he sometimes could look like a damn giant lying down. James hid a grin at the thought. Thomas’s eyes glanced sideways at him before returning skyward, as if he’d picked up on James’s thought, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips.

“Impossible now, yes,” Thomas said. “But one day, perhaps not. After all, revolutionary things such as the printing press have come into existence, something people could not have imagined before. And people have imagined flying machines. Perhaps one day mankind will be able to travel to the moon in such a machine. See if it’s really made of cheese or not.”

James couldn’t hold back his burst of delighted laughter. Thomas followed him into it. James shook his head, leaning back further onto an elbow.

“You’re absolutely absurd, you know that?”

“Hmm. You love my absurdities.”

“I do.”

They kissed again. This time Thomas urged James up and over him. It was a familiar gesture and James eagerly obliged, straddling his legs on either side of Thomas’s hips and bending back down to continue kissing him softly. Thomas pushed his hips against him, grinding them together. James hummed softly, the cooling night no longer a concern as he and Thomas made their own heat.

It wasn’t long before James could feel both their erections. He rolled over and let Thomas take the top, pushing his lord’s shirttails up and out of his waistband to get at the warm skin underneath. Thomas rucked up James’s shirt to do the same and James sighed happily into Thomas’s kisses. Thomas’s fingers found his nipples, pinching them gently until they were pebbles. James moaned as Thomas ran his tongue behind James’s left ear. Thomas had discovered this always caused James to shudder, though James was certain he didn’t know the sexual chills that it caused to sweep down over his body as well.

He thrusted his pelvis harder into Thomas’s, letting him know he wanted more.

*

Thomas rocked back on his knees, straddling him. In the pale moonlight he saw the stirrings of lust written on his lover’s face, his jaw relaxed and lips looking full after all the work Thomas had put into them.

“You are a vision to behold,” he said, squeezing at the skin of James’s hips fondly. James crooked both his arms up around his head as though giving himself over to him. Thomas sighed happily. Even after all these months it still amazed him how changed James McGraw was from the staunch, uptight lieutenant he had first met. He had been immediately attracted to James, but...

“You know, when you first laid eyes on me I never dreamed that you found me attractive in return,” Thomas thought out loud. “Tell me the truth, did you find me attractive that day in front of Whitehall?”

There was a faltering flash in James’s countenance. Suddenly feeling mischievous, Thomas took advantage of James’s pose and gently pinned his arms next to his head. He also made sure he pressed his hips down over James’s crotch in the motion. A deep and husky hum came from James. He smiled at the teasing inquiry, his eyes following Thomas’s face as he loomed over him, making Thomas sigh again. Thomas decided to press the issue.

“Tell me, lieutenant, did you honestly like looking at the rich nobleman whom you had been assigned to, whom you thought was going to look down on you, talk down to you?”

Thomas leaned down so that his face was a mere inch away from James’s, lips tantalizingly close. Predictably James surged upward but Thomas held his wrists fast and refused to meet his lips with his own.

“Did I like looking at you? No,” James said matter-of-factly. “I thought when you were appraising me it was just as you said, I admit.”

Evidently thinking honesty had won him something James moved for Thomas’s lips again but Thomas was enjoying himself too much and he refused a second time. Perhaps it was the outdoors or the night or even the damned moon; he wasn’t certain, but he didn’t often get a chance to tease James in anything other than words. He knew his lieutenant would grow antsy before much longer, but still.

James narrowed his eyes at him but his they were still smiling.

“Would you care to know exactly when I saw you as physically attractive?” he asked now, shifting over the blanket and consequently pushing up into Thomas’s crotch in one long and slow and—Jesus—sensual movement that took Thomas by surprise. Thomas pressed back.

“When?” he asked. “When did you first start noticing me? Tell me, I must know.”

He knew he was just asking for James to deny him further and James didn’t disappoint.

“Hmm, you *really* wish to know?” asked James, the smile in his eyes now extending beautifully and teasingly to his mouth. He parted his lips just so and—Damn it all—Thomas nearly gave in.

“Tell me,” demanded Thomas, sliding against James’s crotch. He knew his own growing hardness was there…was that James’s as well?

“Why should I?” James countered. Thomas felt him thrusting his hips ever so slightly as James stared up at him.

“Because I am a lord and you are my liaison,” answered Thomas with a grin. “And if you do not answer my question I’ll consider it insubordination and will be forced to report it to the admiralty.”

Normally that would have gotten him a quick and smart-ass reply, however Thomas was *definitely* feeling James’s erection now and his response was slow.

James’s eyes grew lidded, his voice muted. “I’m flattered you think that highly of me, my lord, but I’m afraid such trivial matters…” James thrusted up harder into Thomas, making him moan, “… as two friends quarreling would matter as much to Hennessey as the current wind-speeds in China would matter to a land lubber…such as yourself, for example.”

“You dare!” said Thomas. He had wanted to be more melodramatic about it, but his hardening cock and the feel of James trying hard to press into him was getting the better of his otherwise sharp wits. He let go of James’s wrists and quickly removed James’s waistband and unfastened the fly to his black trousers. James languidly pushed his hips upward, encouraging him.

Thomas pushed his pants down just enough to let the tip of James’s plump cock out. He neatly folded James’s pants down around it, then bent down and ran his tongue over the flesh-red tip. James moaned louder. Thomas pushed another inch of pants away to lick at his shaft, still teasing.

“Oh yes,” James mumbled out, writhing against the blanket to cause friction. Thomas took his time, carefully unveiling James’s full erection inch by inch, until his cock was fully exposed to the night air. Thomas licked and sucked at his balls, then worked his mouth over James’s cock until it was slick and wet and James had grown loud and needy.

Thomas waited until the inevitable moment when James could wait no longer. When it came, James did as Thomas knew he would. It was a habit now: James would take control, usually flipping them so that he topped Thomas, either from the front or back. When he sat up to do just that, Thomas stopped him. This night had been so close to perfect so far that he decided it might be worth it to press his luck.

“Can tonight be the night?” he asked gently.

James met his gaze, eyes searching.

“Let me take you,” Thomas pressed, “the way I’ve wanted to for so long?”

It was a question but it was full of polite demanding. He was encouraged when James kept their bodies close together, one hand on the small of Thomas’s back, pulling him into a light kiss.

“I’ve only let myself be taken once,” said James, glancing away as the memory no doubt resurfaced. “I was sixteen. It was…rough.”

Thomas kissed his jaw, feeling an echo of his own pain at long-past couplings in which the other member had been too rough or too humiliated or too shy at their own self for there to be anything more between them besides hurried releases in darkened corners. He did not want James to linger on those thoughts.

“I remember you said as much,” he said softly, tenderly. He kept a hand up James’s shirt, fingers dragging softly over bare skin. James still looked uncertain.

“I just…I may not be very good…”

“James.”

James stilled, looking sheepishly at him. Thomas knew he felt awkward in the moment. His James was so very reluctant to admit what he perceived to be either a weakness or an inexperience, though Thomas did not know which in this moment. He wanted badly to rid James of whichever feeling it was.

“It’s all right,” Thomas assured him. “I’ll guide you through it. Do you trust me?”

He stroked the side of James’s flushed cheek. His queue had come loose, allowing his long, copper-tinged hair to fall down into his face. Thomas had always thought he looked like an angel that way.

“Of course I trust you,” said James, kissing him again as if in confirmation. His words were firm and Thomas knew he was not holding anything back.

“Then lie back down,” instructed Thomas.

James did so and Thomas removed James’s boots and his pants completely. His cock hardened at the sight of James’s naked lower half. He had strong, muscular legs and wide thighs that Thomas adored. He groaned at the sight of the reddish hair peppered around his nether regions. He had never had a lover with red hair before. One of the many hidden treasures that was James McGraw.

He dug into his discarded coat pocket and pulled out a small glass vial, uncorked it and spread it over his fingers. James licked his lips, green eyes burning as he eyed the vial. He raised and spread his legs somewhat reluctantly as Thomas kneeled before him. Thomas knew he needed to go slow. Still he hummed at the sight of the dark, puckered skin betwixt James’s rump. Thomas put his fingers on James’s cleft, bending so that he could place his lips along the inside of James’s leg. He kissed James as he lubricated his cleft and rim, marveling over the texture and particular heat there. His pulse quickened in anticipation. Oh yes, he wanted very badly to take James tonight.

He sucked on the fleshy part of James’s thigh as his middle finger pressed gently over his hole, now wet from the lubrication. Thomas teased him there, continuing to create a crooked line of kisses along his legs until he heard James hum. He looked up. James’s eyes were lidded but Thomas could see the tension there as well. Thomas moved from his legs back up to James’s face to offer reassurances with his lips. James received them eagerly, humming louder and letting his hands wonder to Thomas’s chest, pinching his nipples. Thomas moaned into James’s mouth, then left his face and slid back down over him, rucking James’s shirt up in the process to make certain his lips visited his pectoral muscles and tight stomach muscles as well.

“Our second meeting,” Thomas heard James say. Thomas raised his head from James’s stomach. James reached down for Thomas’s hand. Thomas brought it up and James threaded their fingers together.

“That’s when I began noticing you,” said James in that deeper, huskier voice that Thomas could never get tired of hearing. “In your study. The way you would smile at my inane little jokes and hide it behind your fingers.”

Thomas gave him a toothy grin in response, squeezing James’s hand.

“Does the answer please my lord?” James asked.

Thomas licked his lips and wrapped his mouth around James’s cock to answer.

“Oh God!”

He pulled off just as quickly, not wanting to ruin his pace. Thomas sucked the tight, thin skin right next to James’s cock, making James mutter curses and writhe against him. Thomas’s fingers continued to tease his rim, pushing harder. Then his tongue found the slick, wet heat there. He groaned. Christ, he was he going to enjoy this!

He slid the rest of his body down flat on the blanket and pushed James’s thighs further apart. He was suddenly very hungry but not for food, finding himself aroused by the sight and scent of his lover in such an intimate way. He drove his tongue into James’s rim and James instantly moaned and contracted around him. Thomas licked a trail from his rim up to his balls.

“Oh Thom—oh fuck,” was the welcomed response he received.

“Mmm. I love it when you let loose that sailor’s mouth,” he cooed up at James. James had lifted his head, heavy jade eyes watching Thomas work. Thomas grinned before returning to his very important task. He repeated the motion again, licking up to James’s balls slowly and this time pressing a thumb against James’s rim. Gradually James relaxed enough so that Thomas could insert a finger. He groaned as James’s hole opened for him.

“You’re beautiful everywhere,” Thomas whispered, meaning it. Despite how he knew James pictured him as the romantic between the two of them, the truth was Thomas had never behaved this way with any other man, even the few he had cared about deeply. He had never obsessed over them, fantasized about them when they had been apart.

He had never dared to speak his innermost thoughts to them before, such as a man on the moon.

He pushed his finger in and out of James until it was like sliding through butter.

“Come here,” James huffed out.

Almost forgetting that this was, more or less, James’s first time on the bottom, Thomas quickly pulled himself over James once again and let their tongues mingle.

“Can you taste yourself?” Thomas asked between kisses.

“Yes,” James said, breathless. He bucked up into Thomas, pressing Thomas’s cock into his stomach. Then reached down between them. Thomas let him take his cock in hand and pump it.

“Oh,” he moaned, closing his eyes momentarily and allowing James to arouse him further. It gave James a chance for some control, he figured. But soon enough he pushed James’s hand away and dived back down to between his legs, fingers and tongue working James open until Thomas decided he could slip two fingers in.

“I’m going to open you more,” he said, half as a question. James nodded down at him, biting his bottom lip.

Thomas slipped his middle and ring finger inside him, feeling as James wrapped himself around the intrusion. James moaned louder this time, taking hold of his cock.

“Oh yes,” he muttered. Thomas looked at him, amused and delighted at the reaction.

“Look at you. I haven’t even begun yet,” he said softly.

James threw his head back onto the blanket when Thomas wiggled his fingers inside him. Fuck, but James felt wonderful. Thomas struggled up to his knees and quickly took hold of his own cock and worked himself as he fingered James, feeding off of the tight heat that surrounded his digits, beckoning to him.

“Yes, just like that,” said James, watching him intently with flushed cheeks, his gorgeous hair framing his face the way Thomas liked it. Thomas met his gaze and the two of them simply lost themselves in the other, the sounds of their sex and soft panting filling the air. Thomas was certain it was the most erotic moment he’d ever known.

Thomas opted to slide a third finger in. James bucked up against him, then melted into it, cupping his balls and pulling them up while he watched Thomas fuck into him with all three digits. Thomas ignored his own needs and instead pumped James fast, his hole wide and hot and slick and begging for more. He maneuvered his fingers around until James was quite breathless. He stopped moving into Thomas’s fingers and instead simply let Thomas fuck him, low moans whispered over his lips. Thomas watched, fascinated, as James’s pale chest rose and fell, gaining a light sheen of perspiration under the soft red hairs there, his gorgeous thighs spread wide to give Thomas access.

“So beautiful, so divine,” he cooed, bending over James’s body to kiss his throat this time. James immediately caught his head, carding his fingers through the blonde hair and gripping to it tightly. He started bucking into him again, green eyes blown back and lips parted. Thomas stopped his fingers and pressed a palm flat against his lower stomach.

“Shhh. Easy. I don’t want you finishing so soon.”

James managed a half smile. “Sorry.”

Thomas withdrew all his fingers. James scowled at the sudden loss, letting out a whimper. But then he licked his lips and hummed again when Thomas began shedding his clothes, removing his waistband, vest and finally his shirt. He stood long enough to shrug out of his boots and pants and stood naked before James.

*

James could scarcely take his eyes away. The moon by now was at its brightest, and along with the dying glow from the fire behind them, it cast a pale white glow over Thomas’s skin. James had always admired Thomas’s body, especially considering how remarkably fit he was for a lord. Though leaner and not quite as built as was James, Thomas nevertheless had strong muscles everywhere. And *especially* in his fingers, good fucking god.

“Jesus, you’re a vision,” James heard himself say. “And that ass….mmm.”

Thomas grinned devilishly. “You don’t think it too small or too large?”

He turned so that James had a full view of it. James bit down hard on his lower lip. Thomas’s ass was quite perfect to him. He imagined squeezing it, parting his cheeks to get at the center…

“The things I’d like to do—”

“Ah,ah, no,” said Thomas when he began to rise. James hadn’t been aware he was doing it. Thomas quickly re-joined him on the blanket. James let himself be pushed back down, ready for whatever came next. But then Thomas paused and looked thoughtfully at him.

“Unless you’ve reconsidered…?”

“No,” James said quickly. He imagined—for the hundredth time—what it would feel like to have Thomas inside him, fucking him. He had practically tortured himself with the idea for weeks now, yet he had been too afraid to voice the suggestion. Once they had started becoming physical with one another their encounters were mostly the same. Of course there were plenty of *other* very fun things to do with one another but when at last it was time for sex, it ended the same, with James topping Thomas. Only when Thomas had gently let him know that he had, in fact, noticed that particular detail, had James been forced to tell him why. He had spoken about his only other encounter being taken by another man as best he could, given how hard it had been. As he had silently hoped, Thomas had made the offer to him, tenderly and as only Thomas could, that he would be more than happy to one day show James a much more pleasant experience. When he was ready.

He was ready. Gazing at Thomas’s body in the moonlight and feeling himself opened up and made wanting by another man for the first time, he was too far gone.

“No. Please. Don’t stop. I…want this,” James finished. He had wanted to say he *needed* this. Coward, he berated himself. But the message was clear enough for Thomas. He lay down next to James, body at an angle towards him, and scooted himself until their bodies were aligned. James turned over and faced away from him. Thomas’s body was not quite flush against his yet he could feel the heat coming off him much more strongly now. He groaned.

“I’m going to enter you,” said Thomas, kissing along James’s ear. “Is it alright like this?”

James nodded. He was not used to this, to being treated this way by another man during sex. God, Thomas was so fucking unbelievable. Perhaps one day he would stop being such a coward and actually voice it to Thomas how precious he was.

Thomas positioned his cock until James could feel his head against his rim. His heart was pounding, his pulse quickened. God, he wanted this!

“I’ll go slow. Tell me if it hurts,” said Thomas. James nodded, throat dry. Thomas very slowly slid his head in. James gasped, a hand fisting the blanket. It was much more than a few fingers and all at once. But Thomas didn’t go in much further. He pulled out and repeated the same motion. James was stretched fully to take him, but the easing in and out helped.

“All right?” asked Thomas, kissing his shoulder. James nodded. “More. Please.”

Thomas groaned gently, eyes fluttering shut.

“I have waited for this for so long,” he said. Grabbing onto James’s shoulder he pushed himself in much further. James felt his stomach flip as Thomas’s thick shaft filled him. Thomas let out a sigh. His breath was warm against the cooler skin of James’s shoulder and a chill went through him. Thomas’s hand moved down to grip his hip. Gently he thrusted. James felt it in every fiber of his being, his body responding as Thomas’s cock pushed inside him.

“Oh fuck, yes,” he muttered. Thomas began fucking him, setting up a steady but—to James anyway—gentle pace. Vague memories of his first time with that rough boy came to him. He weighed them against this experience to confirm that no, Thomas was nothing like that boy had been. After that first time James had vowed never to allow someone else to violate him so and make him feel as though his pleasure were being trampled upon for another’s. That was the day he thought he had found out the limits of passion for men like him.

And yet he had never understood the reasons why. He knew the inner turmoil of struggling to accept himself as he was, certainly, but unlike so many men he had always wanted *more* from his encounters.

He had thought it all a fool’s dream, until he met Thomas.

Now, Thomas was once again showing him that it had not been a dream, that men could love other men. They were making love in the dark, yes, but it was not *in darkness.* Quite suddenly that realization hit him. It was hard to hold on to the thought as Thomas took him. James closed his eyes and let his mind relax, seeing nothing but feeling everything. Thomas once again asked him if everything was all right and he nodded, reaching down to lift his leg up. He felt himself stretch almost imperceptibly more and moaned.

“You feel fucking amazing,” he managed to huff out. His throat was dry. He swallowed, listening to the wet fapping sound of Thomas’s cock moving in and out against him. How could anything feel this good?

When he opened his eyes he took in the landscape around them. They were at the edge of a small cluster of trees, right where the land opened up into a large expanse of field. No one was around. James felt gloriously exposed and liberated. It made his cock twitch. The entire moment was only seconds long, because the pressure inside him was building. Thomas purred soft curses and encouragement into his ear, gripping his hips and pushing himself into James.

James wanted more. He twisted to kiss Thomas’s mouth hard and aggressively, whimpering. Thomas’s eyes fixated on his. They were dark and ridiculously heavy, his lips wet and red. His gaze drifted down to James’s mouth. James started when Thomas pulled out of him.

“What—”

“Will you take me in your mouth?” Thomas asked in whisper more ragged than James had ever heard him. Amazing at how aroused his lover was James was certain his cock ached at the words. He nodded eagerly, licking his lips as Thomas straddled his arms. His cock bobbed impossibly hard in front of him and wet from his machinations. James’s hands slid up his ass as Thomas guided his cock to James’s mouth. James sat up his elbows and took Thomas inside him once again. This time Thomas let out a long moan.

“Oh Christ.”

It came out almost as a gasp as he pushed his shaft into James’s mouth. James took him down as far as he could and pulled off, repeating the motion over and over until he was certain his brain had turned to mush and there was nothing but the taste and smell and sounds coming from his lover. He wondered if Thomas would come in his mouth. He certainly wouldn’t complain, although he had hoped for a longer experience.

Thomas stopped himself, rocking back on his heels and closing his eyes for a moment, head tossed back. James was transfixed by the effect it caused, with Thomas’s lean body looking even leaner, his collarbones glistening damply and his shoulders accentuated under the moon light. James stroked Thomas’s thighs and squeezing the globes of his ass, unable to stop touching his lover even for a moment.

“Come here,” he mumbled, pushing up against Thomas’s ass. Thomas moved until James had him where he wanted him, which was directly over James’s face.

“James, oh--! Uhh, *fuck*” was as far as Thomas got because he had pushed Thomas’s cleft apart to get at his rim with his tongue. As soon as he teased a circle around Thomas’s rim he thought Thomas had come if the sounds he made were any indication. But Thomas’s cock held and James decided he had precious few second to please Thomas this way before Thomas insisted he take over again.

So James lapped the flat of his tongue against Thomas’s rim. His hole fluttered in response and Thomas very gently gyrated over him. James kept grinning despite himself, overjoyed at this reaction and loving the empowerment of the moment.

Then, right when things were getting good and he’d managed to insert the tip of his tongue into Thomas’s hole Thomas cried out, “Stop! Stop, I beg you!”

The plea was shaky and desperate. With a deep hum James obliged and Thomas swung off him, nearly collapsing down beside him in a hot mess.

“For fuck’s sake James,” he huffed out. Sweat glistened on his thighs, his forehead. James couldn’t quite tell in the dim light but he suspected Thomas’s cock was leaking as well. Thomas looked sideways at James. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

James grinned like the devil. “I know.”

“You fiend,” replied Thomas with all the punch of a kitten.

“If we were on the moon, we could do this all the time, anywhere and everywhere,” James said. It no doubt sounded stupid but he was too far gone to care. Thomas gave him a sad grin. Then he flipped himself on his back and motioned for James. For a moment James was confused, but when Thomas took hold of his own cock in a welcoming way James realized he wanted to fuck him from the bottom.

“Turn around, away from me,” instructed Thomas. James straddled him, unsure about whatever position this was.

“Keep your feet flat…yes, like that,” said Thomas as James remained on his feet, frog-like. 

“Now lean back over me. That’s it. Rest your weight against my chest.”

James was practically lying on top of Thomas, both of them facing the same direction. Ah. *Ah.* James pushed his hips up so Thomas could guide his cock into him once more. This time, the penetration was deeper from the start. Thomas’s shaft glided into as smooth as butter. James’s breath came out in two short gasps as Thomas filled him, the tight heat returning and making him moan.

Thomas started fucking him in earnest. His cock pounded up inside him, penetrating him deep. Wave after wave of heat flooded James’s senses. He pressed his cheek up against Thomas’s, the faint wisps of their breaths showing in the cooling night and mingling as it dissipated.

“Oh Thomas, oh fuck,” moaned James. As if he weren’t already going to die of bliss, James felt Thomas’s fingertips and thumb close around his shaft and start stroking. It was hardly a sure grip, but it was plenty. James’s hand came up and curled into what purchase of Thomas’s hair it could find, gripping it hard. He didn’t bother to check his noise level, letting out all manner of curses and moans with that sailor’s mouth that Thomas found so arousing.

Thomas was sweet. Thomas was gentle. Thomas was *a fantastic bottom.*

Thomas pushed his cock deep into James and held it there, moving his hips in a circle and causing his cock to brush up against James’s prostrate, which sent him spiraling downward into a sexual heat that he thought might be making him delirious with pleasure.

“Fuck me, come inside me,” he heard himself whispering as he bit at Thomas’s ear.

Thomas let out a whimper, breath hot against his cheek.

“Is that what you want?” he breathed out in reply.

Somehow Thomas’s eyes managed to focus on him. James realized he was making certain this was what he wanted. Astonished, James could only nod. He could scarcely believe the depths of Thomas’s fucking *understanding.* Even he had not paused during their first time together to ask Thomas that question.

His thoughts shattered when Thomas gripped James’s jaw and kissed him hard.

“Yes. I need this. I need you,” James managed to say at last.

Thomas shifted James’s hips with his hands, then pushed himself back in and slammed into James. James screwed his eyes shut and let his head drop back, a litany of half-muttered curses coming from him. Thomas stroked his cock sloppily but furiously, whispering into his ear as if he were in a trance, telling him to come.

*

Thomas was lost in a haze. James felt magnificent. He had never fucked and jerked off another man at the same time and he was glad he’d saved the maneuver for James. James was completely and utterly helpless in a way Thomas had never known, even during their most vigorous love making sessions. He knew now that James had always been holding something back, always the one in control even when Thomas had thought he’d lost himself to his senses. But holy hell, how Thomas was enjoying seeing him truly loose it all now. He looked at James’s strong chest, now flushing red up to his neck, his beautiful hair long since slipped from its queue and framing his face on the blanket. James grabbed his legs behind the knees and pulled them back, desperate for Thomas’s cock. In doing so he shifted most of his weight onto the smaller man but Thomas scarcely noticed. The movement nearly sent him over the edge but he slowed just in time.

He wanted very badly to make James come like this, while James was bent to his will and their wills were one. If he could go to the moon, he could perfectly envision going there without a single other soul except James and he could die happy.

He fucked into James’s now loose and wet ass, pounding him and feeling James’s cock leak out over his fingers. He himself was dangerously close to his release, but he was determined that James would come first. He gave quick, little thrusts with his cock, buried inside James up to his balls. At last James’s breathing changed, his fist gripping Thomas’s hair tighter.

“I’m gonna come,” he panted out. “Oh, you’re gonna to make me…”

And James spilled out over himself and Thomas’s hand. Thomas watched as the milky white honey left James’s cock. He bucked up and down over Thomas’s cock and into the fist still wrapped around his cock. Thomas moaned as his come further slickened his cock between his grip. With one last burst of strength Thomas fucked into him hard and fast and let out a groan as his own release spilled inside James. He closed his eyes and bucked deep into to James, mouth going slack and a low moan escaping him. He felt feather-light kisses cover his lips as James took his release, refusing to let Thomas pull out until he was spent.

Afterwards, Thomas wasn’t certain what came over him. He was fine one moment, sharing in the comfortable and blissful quiet that always followed right after their love making. He was happy and satisfied, and James was right there beside him. And then he had noticed his left hand was shaking. Moments later there was a slight tremor in his arms and legs. The night had gotten cooler since nightfall, true, but he was still wrapped in the heat of his lover, not nearly cold enough to warrant the chills. Thomas tried to ignore it but after another minute the shakes continued. What was this? The sensation seemed to be a harbinger for the emotion that rose up in him. This was no time for ridiculous break downs. But the tremors continued until James noticed. He felt his lover shift, a warm palm wrapping itself over Thomas’s arm. James’s voice, still husky: “What is it?”

“It’s nothing,” said Thomas, forcing himself not to curl up into a ball like a child. “I’m just….I wasn’t expecting…”

He broke off, refusing to prattle on like some frightened simpleton. The understatement, of course, only made James more concerned. He heard James sit up, the husky tone gone and replaced with fear.

“Thomas, please. Talk to me.”

Thomas sat up, facing him but rather reluctantly. Before he could turn away James scooted in so that he could drape his legs over Thomas’s thighs and pull him close, snaring him in the most tender way. Somehow he sensed Thomas was out of sorts.

Thomas took a few deep breaths to help steady himself. James waited. He didn’t move to touch Thomas with his hands but he kept their thighs interlocked.

It helped. Thomas pursed his lips, eyes finding James’s slowly.

“That was amazing, to say the least,” he began, uncertain. “I think…I think I am wondering about the extent of our feelings for one another. I’m…afraid.”

“Afraid?” James’s bright green eyes searched his. “Of what, exactly?”

“Of my own feelings on the matter,” Thomas said carefully. A few more breaths. He felt calmer. Once the initial fear had worn off the cogs of his mind began turning in their usual logical manner. He let James prod him some more while he searched himself for answers.

“What matter, exactly?” asked James.

Those sea green eyes were filled with flecks of gray—how in the hell did James’s eyes do that?—and Thomas couldn’t concentrate without glancing away.

“Of how much I truly need this,” he said at length. “How much I need *you.* I thought, just moments ago and for no real reason, of what it would be like to not have you in my life, and I find I cannot conceive of it anymore.”

*

James swallowed hard. Another thing to add to the list of things he was not used to: Love confessions. They had already voiced this particular sentiment to one another, but never had James heard of it being voiced in quite this way and with such clarity. Unable to find the rhetoric to match Thomas’s, James simply pulled him into a slow and deep kiss, filling his mouth with his tongue until Thomas broke away, breathless all over again.

“Apologies, my lord,” said James with a soft grin. “I’ve no other way to respond in kind.”

He felt Thomas’s body sigh, his tremors subsiding. James was shocked to realize that had been the source of them. He had heard romantic stories and poems of lovers’ feelings being so intense they were manifested physically but he had never believed them until now.

They cleaned and dressed themselves and put out the fire. Thomas led the way back up the hill and towards the stone wall that marked the property line of his summer home. The hour was too late for James to be seen coming inside with Thomas. They would need to part ways here for the night. James was scheduled to meet with Thomas next week, but those five days felt long and loathsome to James as they reached the wall.

“Well I’ll see you early next week,” said Thomas. “I think Miranda mentioned something about strawberry pie after lunch. If you aren’t practicing drills you should consider stopping by early.”

James nodded, then smirked.

“And is the lady of the house planning on doing the baking herself?”

Thomas scoffed. “Miranda? Please, James. The last time she tried baking sweet bread with Sara she sent even the neighbor’s cat fleeing from the smoke and smell of half-baked bread.”

James laughed outright. When the moment ended he reached over and fixed Thomas’s hair affectionately, then kissed him on the forehead. His gaze lingered long after he should have turned and taken his leave. Thomas felt that one of them was about to say something— he didn’t know which—when James finally stepped away. His gaze seemed to waver before it ever left Thomas’s face.

“See you in a few days,” he said with a quick smile, turning.

Thomas watched him go around the wall and towards the street. Fucking hell. He simply did not want James to leave him, not tonight. Their partings before this had always been easy enough; they’d teased each other about sleeping over but that’s all it ever was, just jesting.

Now, however, Thomas had to steel himself not to go running after James like a lunatic. The night air—pleasantly cool before—now made him shiver.

*

James was loathe to return to his flat. Most evenings after long and tiresome days he was perfectly happy to return to it, eager to be done with the world for the day and to have time to himself. This evening was no such evening. He was tired, yes, but he longed to still be lying with Thomas and feeling the heat radiate and cool off his lover’s body.

He’d often imagined Thomas and Miranda curled up together in their enormous and luxurious bed together, sleeping soundly. It gave him great pleasure to think of them like that, especially when he wasn’t with them. Now, however, as he flopped down in his own bed, those thoughts had the opposite effect, and he dispelled them altogether. Just five days. That was nothing. Five. Long. Fucking. Days.

The knock on the door jerked him awake. A glance at the clock showed he must have just started to nod off. The knock came again, soft but urgent. Alarmed, James climbed out of bed and threw on his night shirt. There were precious few people who would have knocked on his door at this hour, not unless something was wrong.

He raked a hand through his hair and lit a candle on his way to the door, placing it on the top of the bookcase next to it. When he opened the door there stood Thomas in the corridor, haphazardly dressed and clutching his tricorne hat in his hands. James blinked at him, glancing almost instinctively down the hallway.

“I came alone,” said Thomas.

“Well what is it?” James asked with the edges of fear in his voice. Thomas looked fine; perhaps something of concern involved Miranda? Illness, perhaps?

“Nothing is wrong,” Thomas replied. “I just…” Thomas’s eyes closed and opened slowly. “I needed to see you.”

James’s arm slipped away from the door as Thomas slipped inside. He blinked.

“Needed to see me? But it’s so late…”

He was still certain Thomas had some urgent news, some message to relay to him, but the only message he received came when Thomas suddenly—almost violently—kissed him, pressed his lips hard up against James’s own. His hands gripped James’s waist possessively. James felt the brush of Thomas’s crotch. A soft heat swept through him as he pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” Thomas hurried, still gripping his waist, sapphire eyes burning. “I know this is unexpected. I had no intentions of coming, but I couldn’t bare your absence.”

He stopped and seemed to search James’s face. For the tenth time that night James was yet again at a loss over…well, over everything that was Thomas Hamilton. His thoughts must have slipped out of his mouth, because Thomas asked him what he’d said. James swallowed.

“I’ll never understand,” he said again, “why I should deserve you.”

He cupped Thomas’s face with both his hands, thumb stroking Thomas’s cheek. Thomas’s eyes closed again. His chest rose as he inhaled deeply. He gently took James’s hand and twined their fingers together.

“Don’t ever doubt yourself when you are with me,” he said, eyes opening again and giving James that stern, ‘I-hate-it-when-you-look-down-on-yourself’ look that was also filled with love.

Without further ado James told him to take off his boots. The whole invite was not lost on Thomas, who took off much more, until he and James were both in breeches. They both admitted to being too tired for sex (though James was certainly willing) and instead opted to lay in bed, chatting about small matters with a chuckled here and there, until gradually James’s eyes grew too heavy and Thomas’s voice was mostly mumbles. He turned over on his side, turning Thomas with him. Thomas went easily, pressing his back into James’s front. James edged a leg between Thomas’s and wrapped his arm over Thomas’s waist, letting it hang there. He heard Thomas sigh, felt the heat from his body. He wrapped himself in all of it and dreamt of clear, still waters on the horizon.

Love made tenderly,  
Quietly under the moonlight,  
Slowly in the dark.

~Tyler Knott Gregson

In the pale light of the moon  
I play the game of you.  
Whoever I am.  
Whoever you are.  
All sense of where I am,  
of who I am  
And where I’m going,  
Has been swallowed  
By the dark.  
And I walk  
through the  
Stars and sky...  
A trinity of  
Dreams beneath  
The moon.

~Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, "A Game of You"*

**Author's Note:**

> *The title "A Game of You" comes from a volume of Neil Gaiman's fantastic Sandman series by the same name. There's a scene that involves travelling under the moonlight in it, and the tone and mood just seemed to fit here.


End file.
